Paul de Supinski did feel intimidated. He didn't let that bother him, though.

Instead, the Kimball High School student advanced to the semifinals of the national speech-and-debate tournament this week in Birmingham, Ala.

"I was really intimidated," de Supinski, 16, said Thursday. "There was actually an entire hotel full of students. A giant hotel. They were mostly upperclassmen. I'm just an underclassman. But I'm a rising junior."

Having completed his sophomore year at the 4-year-old Tracy school, de Supinski got to the semifinal round of 60 students in policy debate Wednesday at the National Forensic League Tournament.

"Obviously, you have to know a lot of facts and be able to talk on any number of topics," de Supinski said. "I used a lot of humor and that eased my nerves. I got knocked out before the finals."

In de Supinski's event, students - functioning like members of the U.S. Congress - are given 43 resolutions or legislative topics to research, from the American military's use of drone strikes to the impact of prescription-drug advertising.

Students "choose our own side" on each subject and the issues are debated in a non-partisan manner.

One resolution - regarding international relations between the U.S. and Malawi - gave de Supinski "trouble." He felt "good' about his presentation on the U.S. providing education funds to Pakistan.

Because the topics were announced while de Supinski was studying for final exams, he worked "nonstop through the first couple of weeks," plucking "key graphs" from source material and using Internet resources.

Originally from Charlottesville, Va. - his father, Bronis, who works at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, was a graduate student in computer science at the University of Virginia - de Supinski also competed at the 2013 California state tournament.

"I didn't do very well at all," he said, though de Supinski was an automatic qualifier after leading the Yosemite Forensic League in competitive points during 2012-13. "I was very underprepared."

He also competed in impromptu speaking and dramatic interpretation during the season. He might opt for one of them, team debate or original oratory in the future.

"It's honestly not that enjoyable," he said of Congress competition. "Debating for six hours in one room. But I'm pretty highly informed. I'm pretty good at it."

De Supinski, who has an older sister and whose mom, Ronnie, is a freelance researcher, plans to pursue his higher education in philosophy and law or business.

"Debate has helped me out a lot. In all forms of activity. It's a fun thing to do. It's one place where a high-schooler can articulate ideas and no one can take away your spotlight."